For many pet owners, their dogs are like their babies, which makes it difficult when an actual baby comes along. It’s a very common story that couples adopt a puppy together at a time in their life when they have no intention of having non-furry babies in the foreseeable future. Over time, things change, and you are faced with introducing your furry baby to a new arrival. While this should be a joyous time, it can also be quite stressful and nerve-wracking for new parents to deal with the upheaval in their lives. By ensuring your pet and baby have a positive introduction, there should be no reason the two shouldn’t be very happy in each other’s company. Follow these tips for introducing your pet to a new member of the family…
While this should be a joyous time, it can also be quite stressful and nerve-wracking for new parents to deal with the upheaval in their lives. By ensuring your pet and baby have a positive introduction, there should be no reason the two shouldn’t be very happy in each other’s company. Follow these tips for introducing your pet to a new member of the family…
Minimise Disruptions
Dogs can become distressed when their environment is disturbed, so it’s important to make sure you don’t make too many changes to your home in a short space of time. Introduce the new furniture slowly, and make the baby-proofing changes gradually on the run up to the arrival or your newborn. If your pet usually sleeps in your room but won’t be able to after the baby arrives, you should try to phase this out gradually, rather than making a sudden change to their routine.
Stagger the Introduction
Dogs get to know things with their nose first, so they will want to run in head first and have a good sniff of the new arrival. This can be scary for new parents, so it’s best to let your pet get to know your babies scent in a gradual way. Start by letting your dog into the room after your baby has been in there and let him smell a baby grow or blanket that has been on your newborn. Your dog will also need to get used to the sounds of having a newborn baby around – late night crying and sudden shrieks can be stressful for everyone involved.
Safety First
Stressed dogs can become spooked and are more likely to dart out of an open door, so it’s important to make sure your pet is fitted with a microchip and that his microchip dog registration is up-to-date. He should also wear a collar with your phone number on it. For safety, it’s also important that your dog and baby are never left alone. Over time, your pet will likely become very protective of your child. This can be problematic when your child gets older and they are playing with other children. If a child ever pushes your child, they will likely get a warning bark from your dog. This can also be an advantage to prevent strangers from approaching your child.
Keep Your Pet Clean
It’s important to protect your baby from germs in their early days, so make sure your pet is as clean as they can be. You won’t want to be dealing with a muddy dog running around the house when you have a newborn to deal with anyway, so consider asking a friend or family member if they can take your pet for a grooming. As your pet and baby become closer, it’s important to make sure your dog doesn’t make your child sick.
Give Your Dog Plenty Of Attention
Dogs can start acting out with nuisance behaviour after the arrival of a newborn, as they are upset that they don’t get as much attention as they are used to. Although it might be difficult, you should try to stick to your original routine as much as possible. Feed your dog at the normal times and try to walk him as much as possible. It’s also important to play with your pet and give him plenty of attention. Thankfully, babies often get a lot of enjoyment out of watching dogs play, so you can kill two birds with one stone and keep everyone happy!
